February 4-H SuperYouth Hope Catanese

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (March 17, 2017) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s 4-H Youth Development Program connects youth to hands-on learning opportunities that help them grow into competent, caring, contributing members of society. In an effort to recognize the great things that 4-H youth accomplish, each month Cornell Cooperative Extension Chautauqua County will name a 4-H SuperYouth. In February we celebrated Hope Catanese.

Hope Catanese has been in 4-H for eight years. She’s currently a member of the Cassadaga Fireflies 4-H club where she enjoys a variety of life-skills projects. Hope is active in the sheep and steer project and has joined the goat project this year. She has previously participated in the hog project for six years.

Hope has shown an increased interest in the heifer project which involves raising a heifer and breeding selectively to increase the quality of her offspring. This is a challenging project because it takes over two years to complete but Hope is up for the challenge! In 2014 she raised the Champion Born and Raised Heifer which is a special show held at the Chautauqua County Fair each year for beef cattle born and raised in Chautauqua County. In the sheep project Hope raised the Grand Champion Ewe in 2009 and raises quality market animals each year.

At the Chautauqua County Fair Hope has served as a Junior Superintendent-in-Training in the sheep barn for two years and served as a Junior Superintendent for one year. Hope has a generous heart and donated a portion of the sale of her 2016 4-H lamb to Barb’s Battle, a benefit for her late aunt Barb Hoyt.

At Cassadaga Middle School Hope is in the tenth grade. She maintains a 97% average and is currently a member of the trap team where she shot a 25 her first year. She has participated on the softball team and in competitive cheerleading. Hope is working hard to get into Cornell to pursue a career in Veterinary Science. In her free time Hope enjoys hunting, working, and working with and learning new things about her animals. Hope’s positive attitude and humble, hardworking demeanor are what make her a 4-H SuperYouth!

The 4-H Youth Development Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated March 17, 2017